Sportsnaut
A bold move by New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn on Sunday is likely the first step in the team’s attempt to tank their way to the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Jets entered Week 7 with the worst record in the league at 0-6. After 30 minutes of play in their game against the Carolina Panthers, their head coach took a daring step to try and get a W. To begin the second half, Glenn benched starter Justin Fields and replaced him with journeyman backup Tyrod Taylor.
Glenn and his staff will paint the decision as one for the betterment of the team. And it wouldn’t be an absurd case to make. On Sunday, Fields completed just 6 of 12 passes for 46 yards and was sacked three times. The Jets had just six first downs and 97 total yards after two quarters, and it extended their touchdown drought to six quarters.
This follows a game where he was sacked nine times and threw for just 45 yards. Fields has certainly been bad in recent weeks. But is it all on him? Probably not. Will Taylor, on his seventh team in 15 seasons, really make any difference in the season? Unlikely.
The move is also notable because Glenn has been very supportive of the former first-round pick after New York gave him a two-year, $40 million contract in the spring. If the Jets are going to win games, it will be with Fields and trying to put him in a better position to succeed. But as currently constituted, they simply can’t.
Going to Taylor is the right move at this moment. But in the end, it is probably the first step in what some analysts have been suggesting in recent weeks, and that is the Jets should go all out on losing so they can get the top pick in the NFL Draft. This could be step one towards that goal, and being sellers before the Nov. 4 NFL trade deadline will confirm that is the plan.
So who could the Jets get if they get the No. 1 overall pick? Some might suggest taking the best player available. But they badly need a player with franchise QB potential. Oregon’s Dante Moore is a player already high on many draft boards because of his solid size at 6-foot-3 and 206 pounds, as well as his accuracy and vision.
Indiana’s Fernando Medoza is even bigger at 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds. He has had a fantastic year and has impressed talent evaluators with his quick decision-making skills in the pocket. South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers is another option. He could be an immediate impact player because of his arm, but more of his escapability and skills at extending plays.
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